Each year students attend a meeting that goes over the handbook and expectations for the year. Since Kelly Heizman, assistant principal, usually talks about the dress code, informing students of any changes and emphasizing the most commonly broken rules. The dress code is important to them because to Heizman, it is a reflection of one’s character.
“Modesty is important because it is a part of character. It’s the character that you present to the rest of the world. Everyone has their own degree of modesty and we get that part of it. It’s important in the school environment that you shouldn’t be a distraction.”
Heizman believes that where colored hair may be distracting to one student, a low cut top could be distracting to another. Following the dress code leaves less room for these distractions to come out in school. Heizman also believes that it is important to create habits of dressing appropriately now in order to prepare them for their future.
“I was told early on in my career that you dress not for the job you have but for the job you want and so your appearance does matter and so I have always thought about that and you want to distinguish yourself as a person with character and values. So that’s what I do in the building, of course when I get home the first thing I do is change into my tee-shirt, and my sweats, and my shorts, and look like a normal person, but i’m also very aware that if I have to go to a restaurant or the grocery store or something im not going to go looking like that and that i’m going to go looking like a proper adult,” Heizman said.
Heizman recognizes that their religious beliefs may have an influence on the way they dress, but they rather root their style based on how they look in the clothes, the cost of the item, and how others who are important to them react to the outfit.
“I was brought up in a pretty conservative church and I think my parents and their values really rubbed off on me on how we should look and how we should present ourselves when we were in public and if we presented ourselves differently than my parents may have wanted then we would have gotten the were so disappointed in you talk and that hurt worse than anything. So I think that was just part of being ingrained in my values of: you want to present your best self anytime you can,” Heizman said.
Heizman believes that it is important for students to dress according to the dress code in order to create a safe and inclusive environment. Dressing according to the dress code makes everyone feel even while still allowing freedom for individuality and expression.
“Our goal is that everybody feels welcome and that I think is part of the dress code in itself that dress codes are very much I feel directed toward females and I always say that’s because our clothes are a lot cuter and change style more so I think part of the change in the dress code has been to be more accommodating to style and to people’s personal choice or religious choices that they have and educating our staff as well as our students as much as we can that were all different, but were all the same,” Heizman said.
It is important that students and staff understand the dress code in order for them to respect it. The dress code is in place to keep SHHS inclusive. Overall, Heizman and the administration want students to feel connected through their choices in appearance, not separated. In order to make that dream a reality, students and staff have to buy into it as well.
